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Afcon: Nigeria 1 Burkina Faso 1

21 January 2013 22:12

Alain Traore scored in injury time to earn Burkina Faso a 1-1 draw against Nigeria at Mbombela Stadium on Monday.

Emmanuel Emenike had given the Super Eagles the lead in the first half, but after Efe Ambrose was sent off for a second bookable offense, Burkina Faso pushed on and substitute Traore was on hand to stroke home the equaliser in the 94th minute.

Nigeria made a bright start and could have scored the opener in the seventh minute when Brown Ideye was in on goal, but Bakary Kone produced a crucial goal-saving challenge.

Nigerian Captain Joseph Yobo made two consecutive mistakes which were almost gobbled up by Mamadou Dagano, but chances were far and far between for Burkina Faso.

The goal finally came in the 23rd minute when a long ball from Mikel John Obi was cleverly back-heeled by Ideye and then bundled in by Emmanuel Emenike.

Ahmed Musa had a chance to make it 2-0 but his 40th minute effort easily gathered by Abdoulaye Soulama.

The second half started with the Stallions pushing forward and Moumouni Dagano almost gave them the equaliser in the 49th minute.

Burkina Faso continued to push forward through substitute Wilfred Sanou on the right wing and Dagano tested Vincent Enyeama on 62 minutes, but the keeper parried for a corner kick.

Ikechukwu Uche came on for Emenike in the 57th minute and should have scored in the 65th off a cut back from Musa, but the attacker blasted way off target.

Ambrose was shown a second yellow card on 73 minutes for a slight touch on Jonathan Pitroipa. It was very dubious but the Celtic defender was given his marching orders.

Mikel Obi had a chance to settle the tie minutes from time but he blasted wide.

And all the missed chances came back to bite the Eagles as substitute Traore snatched a point with the last kick of the game in a 94th-minute scramble where poor defending allowed the striker to finish from close range.

The Burkinabes will next contend with the determined Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia while the Super Eagles must find a way around the Chipolopolo of Zambia on Friday at the Mbombela Stadium.

All four teams are on a point each after Zambia and Ethiopia drew 1-1 earlier in the day.